Netanyahu orders security review of flights to Israel after co-pilot attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a comprehensive security review of all international flights arriving in Israel, following an incident on September 30 where an Omani co-pilot attempted to crash a FlyDubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv. The co-pilot reportedly stabbed the Indian captain before attempting to bring down the plane.

Netanyahu has instructed Shmuel Ben Ezra, the head of the National Security Council, to appoint an examiner to conduct the thorough review. The incident has sparked calls for an investigation into the security lapse that allowed the co-pilot, from a country with no diplomatic relations with Israel, to operate a flight to Tel Aviv.

Transport Minister Miri Regev has stated that security oversight for foreign airlines falls under the purview of Israel's intelligence agencies, Mossad and Shin Bet, not her ministry. However, a 2024 report by the state comptroller indicated a lack of clear responsibility division for the security of foreign airlines operating in Israel.

Critics, including former transport ministry director-general Keren Terner and opposition leader Yair Lapid, have questioned the security protocols and blamed the Transport Ministry. Lapid dismissed the review as a "sham investigation," while Gadi Eisenkot, a political challenger, suggested the transport minister should resign.